Electric-plant-control device.



A. H. BRANDON.

ELECTRIC PLANT CONTROL DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 21. I912.

1,176,698. Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

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APPLICATION FILED OCT. 21,1912. 1,176,698, atented Mar. 21, 1916.

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'1! 7L WIINE'EIEE '13 34 [HVENIUR UNITED STATES PATENT oinucnf.

ARTHUR H. BRANDON, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN LOVE, JR., OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

ELEGTBiC-PLANT-CONTROL DEVICE.

Application filed October 21, 1912.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1. ARTHUR H. BRANDON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, Lucas county, Ohio, have invented new and useful Electric-Plant-Control De vices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric current controlling devices.

This invention has utility when embodied in connection with electric plants, particu larly of storage battery types.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of the invention in an internal combustion motor actuated generatorstorage battery electric power plant; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the control device elements grouped on a switchboard; Fig. is a combined diagranr matic and mechanical view of the automatic starting switch with two of the brackets turned in side elevation; Fig. 1 is a fragmentary diagrammatic and mechanical View of the automatic switch used as a low current alarm; and Fig. is a fragmentary diagrammatic and mechanical view of the stopping device cut out.

The internal combustion engine 1 is connected to drive the shunt wound generator Z'having the positive brush connected to the line 3 with the i'nanually controlled switch 4 operable to place the shunt field winding 5 in circuit with the negative brush (3, which negative brush 6 is connected to line 7 ex tending through the pilot lamp 8 to the line 3 thereby completing a test circuit for the generator. Connected to the line 3 is the line 9 extending through the high resistance winding 10 to the terminal 11 thence through line 12- resistance 13 and line 14 to the line 7 leading to the generator 2 thus completing a low current circuit. In shunt with the high resistance or low current carrying winding 10 is the low resistance or high current winding 15.

\Vhen the generator 2 is started, the current through the coil 10, as the generator ouilds up, serves to lift the solenoid core 16 and thereby bring the contacts 17 up as an automatic switch for completing the charg ing circuit through the terminal 17 contact v.ith the terminal 18. Simultaneously the contact 17 closes circuit with the contact 11,

thus placing the coils l0 and in parallel.

on the core 16 with practically no current lowing in the high resistance winding 10.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

Serial No. mama.

The charging current through-lines 3, 9, coil 15. contacts 17, 18, and line 19, passes through the cha ging resistance 20 to the lines 21, 22, leading to the secondary or storage battery to be charged, the circuit back from which is completed through line 21, knife switch and line 26 to the line 7. The automatic switch 17, 18 completes the circuit only while the charging current flows; any interruption causes this switch to open precluding battery discharges through the generator.

Branching from the line 22 is the line 27 leading to the contact 28 which is abutted by the pivoted contact 29 swinging upward to complete a circuit through the line 30 and coil 31 to the line leading to the line 2t. This shunt circuit to the charging circuit has its automatic switch 28, 29, closed simultaneously with the closing of the charging circuit so that the coil 31 is energized only during the charging. As the voltage rises due to the battery becoming more fully charged, the coil 31 becomes stronger and thus overcomes the drop position of its core 33 to lift the same and automatically open the switch between the lines 34 and 35 breaking the circuitto the switch 36 connected by the lines 37, 38, to the battery 39 for the spark coil 40 control.- ling the ignition of the internal combustion motor 1. The breaking of this ignition circuit by the lifting of the core 33 stops ignition and accordingly stops the motor and generator to thus serve as an automatic cut. out device for shutting off the charging circuit.

\Vith the switch 36 thrown to the lines 42, 43, instead of to the lines 37, 38, and with the. switch 4 open, the operation of this core 33 to open the circuit 34, 35, serves to deaden the shunt winding 5 of the field of the generator 2 to thereby stop the generation of current independently of the prime mover actuating the generator.

From the line 22 extends the line 44 through the coil 45 to complete the circuit through the line 46 to the line 24. The high resistance coil 45 serves to actuate the solenoid core 47 having the conductor tip 48, say of phosphor bronze, normally held away from the terminals 49, 50. \Vhen the battery runs down the coil 45 weakens and permits the core 47 to drop so that current from the line 22 may pass through the line 51, contact 49, automatic switch 48 to contact and thence by the line 52 to the alarm or electric bell 53 and through the resistance 54, the closed switch 55 and line 56 to the line46 thereby causing the alarm 53 to operate as an audible signalfthat the battery 23 has its voltage lower or is running down. This low current coil 5'15 is the only coil of the control. across the battery during discharge of the battery.

To place a load upon the storage battery 23 there is connected to the line 22 the line 57 to the switch 58 connected by the fuse 59 to the line 60 extending out upon the load ing circuit, say to lamps 61, returning by the line 62 which extends to the fuse 63 at the knife switch 58 for the completion of the circuit through the line 64 connected to the line 26. The opening of the switch 58 will cut out the load from the outfitor plant. Opening the switch places the load or lighting on the circuit of the generator 2, while opening of the switch 58 takes the load oil the system. The opening of the switch 25 cuts out the battery at any time it is dc sired. Opening of the switch 55 serves to cut out the automatic alarm.

The non-magnetic or brass adjustable screw (35 permits adjustment of the magnetic core 47 away from the magnetic core 65 so that there may be such adjustment for mini mum voltage drop as is desired to act on the alarm signal by releasing the solenoid core &7.

The contacts 11 and 18 have the carbon extensions 66 coacting with the spring poised opposing carbon extensions (57 carried by the movable contact 17 so that arcing is avoided in the openingand closing of this automatic charging circuitswitch. The contacts 11 and 18 are held normally downward by the springs 68. The low circuit coil 10 is shown as always across .the charging circuit, but the coil 15 is carrying current only during chargin V Simultaneously with the lifting of this core 16 for closing the charging current switch, the pin 9 (Fig. 3) contacts the insulated face 70 to tilt upward the contact 29 for closing the circuit with the contact 28, thus energizing the automatic cut out solenoid with the completion of the charging circuit, which cut out solenoid remains active only during charging.

The automatic cut out solenoid in its lift ing action of the solenoid core 33 raises the spring contact '71 away from the adjustable terminal to line 34. \Vhcn so raised the dog 72 automatically swings into position to hold this switch open so, notwithstanding the stopping of the charging-circuit and the simultancmisly deiinergizingbf the coil 31, this cut out circuit is held open and in start ing it is necessary to manually release by 33 attains some momentum in its lift before engaging the contact 71, thus insuring cir cult against fluctuations.

Thereis accordingly provided in this outfit devices especially adapted for compact mounting upon a switchboard, which de vices are simple in their structure, susceptible in their grouping in the combination herein to afford efficient automatic control especially adapted for use in connection with small lighting plants, say for small isolated plants in rural communities. There may be no running down of the battery through the generator because the charging circuit auto matic switch as controlled by the coils 10 and 15 is open except during charging. 'lh ere is an automatic rim down alarm when the battery runs low. There is the auto matic cut out which will stop the charging circuit when the battery is charged. All of this control and operation is independent of any delicate instruments requiring the attention of a skilled operator for observation and attention in the operation of theplant.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A battery, a charging device therefor embodying a charging circuit, a switch in.

said circuit, a solenoid provided with an energizing line across said circuit to close sa d -switch, said solenoid energizing line being in shunt with the charging circuit, a control circuit from said battery in shunt w1th said charging circuit and energizing line, a

switch therefor actuated by said solenoid, an operating mechanism for the charging circuit, and means in the control circuit for stopping the mechanism.

2. A battery, a charging device therefor embodying a first circuit, a solenoid switch in said circuit, said solenoid switch provided with a low current winding across said circuit. a greater current winding in series with said first circuit, a core movable by said energized windings, a second circuit opened and closed by said switch, a generator for supplying current to the first circuit, an internal combustion motor for operating the generator, an ignition circuit for the motor, a switch in said ignition circuit controlled by said second circuit.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR H. BRANDON.

\Vitncsses:

Geo. E. KIRK, C. H. RAUCII. 

